Fernando Ortega: From CCM hitmaker to Anglican liturgy minister

Tony Cummings reports on the change in musical direction of singer/pianist FERNANDO ORTEGA

Fernando Ortega

In 1998 Fernando
Ortega won a Dove Award for his bluegrass-flavoured "Children Of
The Living God", in 2000 landed the Inspirational Album Of The year
award for 'Home' and in 2002 was one of the recipients of a Dove for
his contribution to the multi-artist 'City On A Hill'. But in 2009
Fernando made a major departure from the "CCM star" route and joined
the Christ The King Anglican Church in Albuquerque, New Mexico as
music minister. In 2011 he released the 'Come Down O Love Divine'
independent album which was praised by his legion of fans and by the
critics. Fernando's Wikipedia entry described his music as "embracing
country, classical, Celtic, Latin American, world, modern folk and
rustic hymnody." With 'Come Down O Love Divine' one could add Anglican
hymnody to the list. Fernando was quizzed by broadcaster Mike Rimmer
about his latest musical direction.

Commented Fernando, "Isn't that weird, a Mexican Anglican? When Ruby,
my daughter, was born, we were attending an Anglican church here in
Albuquerque, and nobody in the church knew about what I did for a
living. That was part of what drew us to the church: nobody there that
was into contemporary Christian music, so we could go and just be part
of the church. Then slowly people found out that I was a musician; I
got asked to play a couple times. They finally asked if I would
consider becoming the worship leader there. It was perfect, because I
was trying to get off the road, because my daughter had just been
born, and I didn't want to be gone from her, I didn't want to miss
anything. It was like God opened this door. We've been part of this
Anglican church for a year and a half now. Anglicans who are listening
take it for granted - but we've never, as American evangelicals,
ordered our worship or our devotional experience according to the
narrative of Christ's life: Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Easter, Lent,
Holy Week. Every week has a theme, so I'm finding hymns, and having to
write hymns, that are specific to those themes every week. That's just
not part of evangelicalism, it's a very general sense of worship. You
know how modern worship is: 'Lord, I love you, I bless you, I thank
you for your grace'. But you don't have songs that are specific to
holy days, like the Transfiguration or something like that - you don't
go find contemporary praise songs that are about that. So I've ended
up having to write those songs, or find old, traditional songs. It's
really influenced my writing."

The reviewers of 'Come Down O Love Divine' all agreed on the album's
superlative chorale work. Said Fernando, "That choir is fantastic;
they're the Milikin University Choir Ensemble in Decatur, Illinois.
These kids showed up to sing with their shorts and flip flops and
backpacks, chomping on gum. I thought, 'Oh my gosh, here we go!' Then
they opened their mouths, and any one of them could sing me out of the
room - they were unbelievably talented kids. There are so many worship
wars going on in church - it's been going on since the '80s at least -
where people do away with the choral choir from the church and just
have the praise band, add smoke and lights and all that stuff. I was
just trying to demonstrate that it's still a strong voice, that choral
voice, and the harmony singing like that. It blends perfectly well
with guitars and percussion and piano, whatever. Maybe the next record
will include a lot more of that. I loved it, I loved the sound."

Did Fernando feel that there was a move away from modern worship to
more traditional forms in some circles? "I think there are so many
incredible, wonderful modern worship writers, but I do find, week to
week, when I'm searching for something specific - like the
Transfiguration, or something for Lent, or about the Holy Spirit -
there's nothing out there, it's all very general. I played at Wheaton
College outside of Chicago last year. I did three days of chapel
there: I was the guy. I was scared to death. I had to deliver a half
hour chapel, three mornings in a row, plus teach classes, and then
meet with students. I love hymns, I love traditional music; I sat down
and starting singing a couple of hymns, and these kids stood up and
sang their guts out. I met with some of the student leaders for lunch,
and I asked them, 'What is the preference on campus these days as far
as Christian music?' A lot of them just said they don't listen to it,
but they said, 'We appreciate anybody who would get up there and teach
us a beautiful hymn that we have not heard before'. So that opened the
door for the next three days, and I taught them a lot of hymns that
are not sung anymore. One of them was 'Come Down, O Love Divine',
which is the title of the record. There are a lot of people that are
looking for that kind of intentionality in worship music."

Making an album as an independent artist after years of recording with
the major Christian labels brought the singer/pianist new challenges
and demands. He said, "There was a lot more different kinds of work to
be done than I ever had to do before. And the process - because there
was a fraction of the money involved - I had to get better at writing
Pro-Tools myself, setting up microphones, rolling mic cables, figuring
out acoustics of rooms. So this was quite a bit different. You own so
much more of those little details like micing the piano. In the past I
would sit there and wait till the engineer and producer come up with a
sound they like then you go in and play. Here, it's just me in the
room. My producer was there, but it took us three days to get the
sound we wanted. We just played samples, play it back on my stereo,
run back to the piano, move the mic two inches to the left. So then
you get to really be intimate with the sound. When it comes to mixing,
you remember exactly what you're going for. I love that part of it."

After a string of inspirational radio hits, with a particular
worshipful focus, in 2004 the singer/songwriter recorded the pop rock
orientated 'Fernando
Ortega' album for Curb Records. Cross Rhythms enthused that it
"wouldn't sound out of place on the Radio 2 playlist." But it didn't
sell. Ortega admitted, "I forgot about that record for a long time,
because I was really disappointed - not that I wanted mainstream
success as much as that they were good songs. Now I have a two and a
half year old daughter, and at bath time she always asks for that
record. She'll say, 'Play "Coyote"' or 'Play "Dragonfly"' or 'Play
"California Town"'. So I did listen to it a lot in the last year, then
fell into the depression again - I'm just kidding. But I really liked
those songs, and I loved writing it. It's very vivid in my memory,
driving from my house to the Capitol Records building and recording
there - incredible musicians that were on it. That was the most
monumental effort I ever put into anything. So I wish it could've been
something."

The opinions expressed in this article are
not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed
views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may
not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a
later date.

About Tony Cummings

Tony Cummings is the music editor for Cross Rhythms website and attends Grace Church in Stoke-on-Trent.

Reader Comments

Posted by Brad in Central Coast, California @ 16:56 on Jul 4 2014

First saw Fernando in concert at Calvary Chapel of San Jose
in the early 90's. We the children of a family friend, and
when we met Fernando, he made time to greet them, encourage
them. That's what his music has been to our family, an
encouragement for so many years. We've seen him in concert
opening for Twila Paris again in San Jose, then later at
Mount Hermon Christian Conference Center near Santa Cruz.
We thank God for Fernando's heart for worship. Thank you,
Fernando for your diligence in song writing and performing.
You've truly touched our lives.

reading so many outstanding, heart-felt messages about
Fernando, my story is along the same vein. I first saw him
wth Ann Graham Lotz at Women of Faith in Cleveland and
purchased 3 of his cd's. Being diagnosed bipolar 6 years
ago with 30 years of mis-diagnosed, I began to experience
the extreme highs (along with my Sanguine personality) and
the extreme lows. Having 11 surgeries - two major, the last
one in October 2013, the deepest, darkest time of my life -
nothing helped. In April I went to see him in Cleveland - I
felt like every word, every comment , his beautiful music
surrouded me and I determined to get out of the darkness.
At home I rediscoved the 3 cds - bought an IPod to load them
on and they are all I have listened these past 6 weeks.
Such a blessing.
I believe seeing him at the piano gives me a true vision of
his playing as I llisted to his music. Pray God's continued
anointing as he continues to bless others with gifts,
bringing blesses on he and his family. To a unique singer,
song writer and pianist, I thank you for your ministry to
me, which continues

Will be eager to hear the album, and have found over the
past ten years that youth LOVE the hymns!
Very thankful for Brother Fernando's obedience to The Holy
Spirit's leading.
Praise God from Whom all blessings flow...

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